§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what has been the total amount of capital write-offs granted to British Railways since nationalisation expressed in current and in constant November 1976 prices;
741W(2) if he will express the total post-nationalisation British Railways capital write-off per household and per head of population in current and constant November 1976 prices;
(3) what was the total subsidy paid to British Railways in the last available 12 months; and how much this is expressed per household, per head of population and per income tax payer.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe capital liabilities of the British Railways Board were reduced by £1,262.1 million under the Transport Act 1968 and by a further £189 million under the Railways Act 1974. At November 1976 prices, these reductions would amount to some £3,500 million. They represent about £76 per household and £27 per head of present population in Great Britain at current prices and £184 and £65 respectively at November 1976 prices. The capital liabilities of the British Transport Commission were earlier reduced by £487 million under the Transport Act 1962 without apportionment between railway and other activities.
Exchequer grants paid to the Board in 1975–76 amounted to some £500 million, representing £26 per household, £9 per head of population and £25 per income tax payer in Great Britain.